Tuesday, 21 May 2013

Being a Mummy and other challenges!

So here we are a week in and well, it's pretty great being a mum! He is too delicious for words, and has the loveliest nature, he wasn't pretending just until we promised the judge that we would love him forever! So far he has slept right through all night, he is playful and silly, pretty chilled so long as he gets fed and watered on time and can throw some impressive moves to the odd Glee tune! I know, I'm a dreadful mother making him listen to that rubbish! The only thing is that he is terrified of a toy Zebra that we picked up at a craft market, it is really rather lovely but he won't go near it! It has become useful therefore as I have discovered that in order to stop him touching things I would rather he didn't, such as the drain in our little kitchen at the guest house I can simply place Mr Zebra on top of it and hey presto, no touchy! He is a charming child, he is a bit like royalty when we go out, everyone wants to kiss and hug him, the ladies in the local supermarket fall over themselves to get a piece of him, and now that he can wave bye they are in awe! Yesterday Weinab, our kind of legal person was on fire, not only did we manage to obtain his Birth Certificate, but we made tremendous headway with his Passport and should be picking it up tomorrow, this is unheard of, and I think my very polite persistence with her may have paid off! this means that we can get on with his visa application and with any luck we might make our flights two weeks today......FINGERS CROSSED!!!!! I soooo want to go home now, it's fine here, it really is, Ivan (Mr Bicknell) and I are getting on great despite being in each others pockets for nearly a whole month! As you know we have a great place to stay and we are getting to know our hood pretty well, the people we come into daily contact with are very nice and so far, we have had few problems, I don't know if I mentioned this before, but some people have actually thanked us for adopting a child from their country, which isn't something I was expecting at all. Oh, I just checked, I did, but it's worth telling you again!

So what have we been up to?

Well, we went to the Merkato, now that takes a high level of determination! It is Africa's largest market at a whopping 4 sq kilometres, it is mind blowing! I had gone really just for the experience, but we did pick up some nice bits and pieces, spices that might sit at the back of the larder for a couple of years admittedly, but some nice presents and a cool traditional little seat for Noah's bedroom, Dilu our driver organised a guide to come with us due to the size of the place which was very helpful on lots of levels, there are some interesting characters about and I think I have got some pretty good shots, but you have to have your wits about you, Acha's daughter clung to me like her life depended on it, Noah of course took it all in his stride! The smells, the colours, the noise and the hustle all make the place quite magical if not extremely overwhelming! I don't think we will go again, but I am glad I went! The only trouble is that these days pay havoc with master Bicknell's routine, hmmm, and I said I wouldn't be ruled by a baby!!! Oh how the mighty have fallen!

The passport office was an eye opener, I have never seen so many people in one place, we were almost stampeded, a flurry of colour and hysteria is not something you want to be in the middle of with a baby! I don't suppose jumping the queue so spectacularly like we did is looked upon particularly favourably either, I am told that the average Ethiopian passport takes 4 months to be issued, so 48 hours is pretty damn good. We now know that Noah is a whole year old, his date of birth is 12th May 2012, or if you are Ethiopian, 2005! Yep! They have a different calendar to us so they are 8 years behind! I am sad that we didn't know so that we could do something nice on the day, but I guess we have time for this!

Today Mahi, who incidentally isn't the guest house owners daughter, but almost (!), and I had a morning of pure indulgence, my treat. I am actually not very popular as our beauty treatments over ran by an hour (this is Africa, no one is in a hurry..), so Ivan missed his massage, but he's rescheduled so it's fine (thank God..). I still can't believe the quality of these treatments, or the price - especially as my Mum was so so tucked up at the Royal Bath in Bournmouth - for 2 facials and 2 pedicures which took 3 hours, I paid £40! Both treatments were awesome, the facial involved an eye brow wax (i was worried i would lose the lot i have to admit though!), Cathiodermie, and the individual squeezing of every single one of my blackheads - sorry, too much info! My skin feels amazing, and as for the pedicure we even had paraffin wax treatments and they bring you fresh lemonade all the time! I must get a photo of Mahi's nails as they are incredible, I was boring and just got a plain colour, but hers are a work of art! Mahi had never been to a spa, she is such a groovy gal and we wanted to treat her to say thanks for all the support, I think she enjoyed the experence! Although Ivan (Mr Bicknell) missed out on his treatment today and had to fly solo for most of the morning with Noah, we did have a lovely lunch at our favourite, the Lime Tree, so all was not lost! There is the most beautiful waiter who works there who looks jut like a young Will Smith and he has taken a real shine to Noah, so our young man gets loads of attention!

On the way back to the guest house the heavens opened and we got caught in the most incredible rain shower, some very lovely guys welcomed us under the awning that they were sheltering under, and seemed pleased that we were British and not American! I hope I have got a good shot of them!

I am currently the only one awake at the moment, so I guess I should get some shut eye! Life starts early these days!